Preschools in Singapore Expand into After-School Care for Primary School Pupils
Singapore’s leading preschool operators are expanding their services to include after-school care programmes for primary school-aged children. Institutions that previously focused mainly on educating younger children now aim to ensure that their former pupils can continue learning in a safe and structured environment after entering primary school.
After-school care centres in the country provide children of working parents with supervised spaces, meals, and a range of learning activities outside regular school hours. As of June 2026, 330 student care centres were registered with Singapore’s Ministry of Social and Family Development. Of these centres, 55 per cent operate within primary schools and serve only pupils enrolled at those schools, while 45 per cent are community-based centres that accept children between the ages of seven and 14.
Well-known early childhood education providers such as MindChamps, NTUC First Campus, EtonHouse, MapleBear, and Julia Gabriel are among the organisations that have invested in after-school care services in recent years. Their programmes combine homework support with language, arts, sports, academic development, and social-emotional learning activities. Operators view after-school care as a natural continuation of the relationships they have established with families during children’s transition from preschool to primary school.
However, fees at centres offering comprehensive educational and enrichment programmes are considerably higher than those charged by conventional student care centres. Monthly fees at private centres reportedly start at S$900, while the median monthly fee at centres registered with the Ministry is S$290.